Sharon Jones on SNL with Michael Buble

Michael Buble is a good singer who gets rich off singing other people's songs, but Sharon Jones is the real deal Holyfield. I love me some Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings. Their new album, I Learned The Hard Way, is coming out on April 6th. I'm really hoping they stamp a vinyl for that one. Right now you can visit www.daptonerecords.com and get you a free download of the title track. You know you need some soul in your life.

Check out my girl Sharon Jones on SNL:

I can't post the new video for "I'm Broke" by Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears

Today I just realized that I have never blogged about one of my favorite local Austin based groups, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears. Seriously folks, I'm embarrassed by it. Black Joe is amazing, funky, soulful, you name it. There's nothing bad that can be said about these dudes.

Here in Austin especially, they cross over into every genre of music fans, from indie rockers to funksters. Even hardcore fans such as myself get down to Black Joe. They should be even bigger now thanks to recently opening for Austin's indie mega stars, Spoon. This past Friday on YouTube, their label put out their new video for "I'm Broke" off thier album Tell Em What Your Name Is!

This is the part where I'd usually post the video, but it has been disabled by request on YouTube. I hate when labels, bands, artists do that. Why even bother to put it on YouTube? I know the answer, it's exposure. People search YouTube all the time and it will get views. As a fan with a blog, Myspace page, etc I'd like to post it and share it with people. Viewing it on YouTube is free. Watching the YouTube videos are free. The average person can't rip the videos anyway. Even someone who could with a YouTube downloader, could they also edit the video? Those people are slimmer by the number. Would they do it to this video? Not likely. The same thing happened when they put "Sugarfoot" on YouTube. That pisses me off.

Unleash the reigns there suits and watch the views increase greatly! Watch as they sell more albums and downloads. Watch more people buy tickets to their shows in Austin and out of Austin. Why cheat the band out of that? Embrace web 2.0 and social media. When done right, it does wonders for bands.

Click on the album cover to check out the video for "I'm Broke". It's funky. If you are new to Black Joe Lewis & The Honey bears, check out the video for Sugarfoot as well. You'll enjoy that as well.

Getting Down in Austin with Afrika Bambaataa

Never in my life did I ever think I would ever get to see Hip Hip pioneer and legend Afrika Bambaataa. I thought I missed that chance as I was too young and didn't live in a major Hip Hop mecca like New York City. Well this past Sunday my luck changed. Thanks to a local email list I subscribe to, Do512, I was lucky enough to check out Bambaata over at Beauty Bar on 7th.

For those that don't know, Afrika Bambaataa is a Hip Hop legend best known for being part of the Zulu Nation and such hits like "Planet Rock" and "Looking For the Perfect Beat". If you do a Google image search you'll see him in really eccentric costumes, which he was also known for. Every real Hip Hop fan, B-boy, B-girl, hipster, scenester, dance music lover and their mom knows of Afrika Bambaataa. I had heard that he did DJ sets every now and then at various spots. Again, I was just surprised he came to Austin on a Sunday night. Then again I'm not surprised. That's Austin for you folks. That's the kind of scene and vibe this city has....one of the main reasons I love it here.

Starlynx and D.J. Dojo, according to the show flyer, were responsible for putting the show on. It turns out that D.J. Dojo is DJ Manny and DJ Big Face's record store on Sout h 1st. I had the privilege of meeting DJ Manny in May at an M.E. Live! taping. He was kicking it with Nortec Collective as they were both performing at the first annual Pachanga Festival. Well, here he was again with his DJ and business partner DJ Big Face at Beauty bar before the AfrikaBambaataa set. DJ Manny, being the down to earth and the cool dude that he is recognized me and thanked me for coming. As you can see from the picture, him and Big Face are both pretty animated dudes. The camera you see there was connected to a projector for them to project images on the wall while they do their set. It really adds to their show and is really cool in a dark setting. Their two man, DJ team set included some old school hip hop (of course) and some good electronic beats and rhythms.

Manny and Big Face wrapped up around midnight and did a good job getting the crowd dancing and ready for Bambaataa. What's funny is I was expecting Bambaataa to be in the same area DJ Manny was in, but he was in the DJ booth at the other end of Beauty Bar. I still made my way up to the front of the booth which was conveniently located by the bar (mmm...Lone Star). As he started spinning, me and everyone else went crazy. He spun some old school hip hop and I even remember so old school Luther Vandros in the set. I believe it was "All My Love", but the alcohol clouded my memory at that point. Plus, this wasn't the usual show where the artist or band performs and either I sit and watch or am fighting a crowd in mosh pit. This was a dance party. I was dancing my ass off getting sweaty, as it was crowded and humid Sunday night. I could literally ring my t-shirt out with sweat and I came home tired and worn out.

Check out a shot I took of the crowd at Beauty Bar during the set. The crowd was your typical Beauty Bar crowd: eclectic, all races and all scenes represented including hipster kids, B-boys, and everything in between. Sunday night with Afrika Bambaataa was in my mind, what early Hip Hop pioneers envisioned for Hip Hop. Hip Hop would be a way to unite everyone regardless of crowd and age, class or race, and make them feel good together. Thanks to Starlynx and Beauty Bar for hooking this whole thing up and giving me one of my best memories yet.

When you see an Afrika Bambaataa DJ set, you just get down crazy (as in dance a lot). Something takes over you and you feel like it's the early 1980s all over again, when Hip Hop was fun and new. Hip Hop is alive and well in Austin, even though it isn't what we are really known for.